


Evergreen

by lavendermilktea



Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Romance, F/F, Logging AU, Noelle Holiday / Susie, Other, suselle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-12 12:29:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17467565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavendermilktea/pseuds/lavendermilktea
Summary: After Rudy has fallen ill, Noelle stands up to make a change on how the Holidays handle their logging business.After a lot of hard work and determination, things begin to settle into place. However, Noelle can't forget a mysterious figure she met in the village. Rumors and folk tales from the villagers fill her imaginative mind with haunting thoughts. In the stillness in the dead of a winter night, what disrupts it? As a gathering forms, who is leading it? As Noelle's mind wanders, who grounds her? Through a series of events in a cozy, logging lodge, Noelle encounters many things about her family, her surroundings, and herself.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The teen rating is just in case!  
> Chapters will be posted every Friday at around 8PM Atlantic Standard Time!  
> Please tell me if I am forgetting tags or if there are typos, I have read over this but I can never be too careful! 
> 
> Thank you for checking out my work, it means the absolute world to me!

It had been an extremely slow season for the Holiday family. With Rudy’s physical state being poor, he could only manage to do half the work he was usually able to do. He hated relying on others, and was extremely self-sufficient, not to mention stubborn. However, he began to have a change of heart once he overexerted himself to exhaustion once again.

He was tucked neatly in one of the bedrooms in the Holidays’ lodging quarters. It was closer than their actual home, and had everything needed for this kind of situation. He gave a big smile as he awoke to Noelle’s wide, frightened eyes staring back at him.  
  
“Dad?”  
“Hello, sweetie-“  
He was cut off by Noelle jumping from her seat, her hands in tight fists.  
“D-Dad, I love you so much, but you promised me you’d never work that hard again! You promised me I’d never have to see you like this again! This is the third time this has happened this month! You can’t keep doing this to yourself, you just can’t!”

 

The first time this happened, Noelle was anxious, but not upset. The second time this happened, a doctor was present, telling Noelle that her dad kept collapsing from overexerting himself. This made Noelle upset, and a little guilty – she would help him, of course, but would also work on paperwork with her mother, tend to her own personal hobbies like quilting and weaving, cook meals for her mother and father if they came home at a reasonable hour, and then go to sleep. Her dad would be up before her working, and would still be working when she went to sleep. Being in an isolated area, everyone kind of had to fend for themselves. Not everyone knew the complexities of logging and the physical demand it had on oneself. The only people that new the ins and outs of this were the Holidays’, especially Rudy. The person behind this business was, in a way, slowly killing himself from the workload he put on himself. He couldn’t look Noelle in the eyes as she swallowed hard, wiping her eyes in her wool sleeve, taking a deep breath. She needed to calm down if she was going to talk to her father.  


“D-Dad…I’m sorry. I care about you and I just…I need you to be safe. I want you to be happy and I want to support you, but I can’t do that if you’re hurting yourself.”  
He smiled to himself. Since when had the little girl who cried the second she was alone became such a driving force in everyone’s life?  
“Dad. I know you’re not going to be happy with this idea. However, I love this business as much as you do. The Holidays’ are strong and resilient. I know this. However, we aren’t a massive family like we were generations ago. We are three people. Mother doesn’t even do any of the actual logging, she just manages all of the paperwork and distribution, and even that should be a job for multiple people, let alone you doing all the logging mostly by yourself. I…I think it’s time to call for some extra hands.”  
She bit her lip, waiting for a scolding. However, she was met with a gentle, kind laugh. She watched her dad run his hands over his face. He wasn’t defeated per se- he just knew that what she was saying rang true. It was silly of them to be running this business with so little people, no matter how familiar they were with the job.  
“I’ve made a few posters to put into the village. Mother needs to go to get some medicine and food, so if you’re okay with this plan, I think this is what we need to do. We have all of this lodging and property to fit and feed so many kind souls, dad. I think it’s time we make use of all that we have to offer.”

Rudy smiled. Noelle was so much like him, but even more like her mother. Despite being an anxious, cautious girl, she knew how to problem solve and to not allow herself to be talked over. She nervously played with the ends of her sleeves.  
“I…I think that’s a good idea, Noelle.” Noelle looked up to look into her father’s eyes. He looked like he had aged 10 years in 1 day. He wasn’t defeated – with an attitude like that, Rudy could never be defeated. However, he knew that his stubbornness could lead to his own detriment. This was a wake up call for him.  
“Do you want me to go to the village with you two?”  
“Oh my God, like this, dad? No, of course not!” She poured him a mug of warm spiced cider. She had added some rum into it so it would take the edge off until her and her mother came back with proper medication and ointments for him. Noelle noted that they would need to pick up plenty more things if they were going to think about hosting and employing dozens of folks to help them with their acres and acres of their coniferous and deciduous trees. She applied a cold cloth onto his damp forehead, lighting the oil lamp on the nightstand next to him.  
“Will you be okay, dad? I brought potato soup for you, it is warming over the fireplace right now.” She pointed to the quaint, tiny pot hanging above the roaring fire keeping the damp, chilly room a comfortable temperature.  
“Would you like some now?” She had brought a wooden bowl and spoon to the room, ready to ladle some in for him.  
“No, sweetie. If I’m hungry, I’ll get it myself. I think I’ll just rest for now.”  
Noelle smiled, glad he was able to admit he was tired and needed some rest.  
“Alright, dad. Have a good rest. Mother and I will be back in the evening.” She gathered her belongings, gently shutting the heavy door behind her.

The lodging quarters are intimidating buildings to be in alone. Noelle had only grown an interest in it in the past few years – growing up, she had always been terrified of its long, dark corridors, it’s heavy, industrial wood stoves and its moth-eaten rugs and bedding. Now, she had realized what potential this building had. Before her generation, before her father’s generation, before her grandparent’s – The Holidays had always been renowned for their determination, their hard work, their knowledge on the life around them, bringing them a lot of prosperity. The idea of her family before her booming and bustling through the creaking wooden walls inspired her. She may not have cousins, siblings, and other relatives left right and center, but this provided an excellent opportunity to give folks who may not even have a mother and a father a chosen family. She was hopeful.

As she walked out of the lodging quarters, she shivered. It was about a 15-minute walk from the lodges to her house, and she wasn’t dressed well for the chilly weather. As she managed to keep herself upright as she slipped around on the icy path, she eventually made it to her house, her mother waiting by the door for her. She could tell her mother was a little impatient, hoping to have left earlier, but Noelle didn’t have the heart to just let her father wake up to no one around him. Her mother handed her a big, thick woolen coat, wrapped a tightly woven scarf around her face and ears, and shoved big, chunky mittens onto her hands.  
“Noelle, you know better than to run outside with just a sweater on. What if you catch cold?”  
“I know, mom...” She smiled to herself a little. She felt like a little kid as her mother gently scolded her. She trailed behind her mother, her mother already setting up the sleigh. It was going to be quite the journey, her mother’s pockets overflowing with provisions and dried meats they had cured. Noelle was held close to her mother as she took off, barrelling down the mountainside they lived on, weighed down by the layers she was wearing and the blankets laid lovingly over their laps. Her body was warm, her heart fluttering with excitement about going into the village, seeing people other than her mother and father. Her nose and cheeks were flushed red from the cold air whipping at them, but she didn’t mind one bit. Her imagination was running wild like the sled they were seated upon. She wondered what kind of people would soon be living in the lodges, what kind of stories they would share, what kind of songs they would whistle to as they worked. She was also excited to go shopping with her mother, a little selfish voice in her wondering if she could possibly ask her mother for the chocolate covered marzipan bars she liked on special occasions. As these little day dreams and thoughts played through her head, she had fallen asleep, held close and tight under the tender care of her mother’s protective arm.

She was awoken to the sounds of a quiet village approaching. The distant sound of church bells, a booming street vendor advertising their roasted chestnuts, general laughter, chatter, and bouncy, happy tunes swirling around Noelle and her mother.  
“We’re almost there, sweetheart.”  
Noelle yawned quietly, her jaw aching and her neck cramping from the awkward position she was in. However, she was forever grateful for her mother’s warmth, and her determination on getting to and from the village in one day. She had managed to find a place to leave her large sled, helping the shorter Noelle off of the sled, watching her take a great big leap of faith into some fluffy snow. Noelle was always amazed about going into the city. She loved the cobblestone streets and how she could feel them through her thick boots. She loved the smell of freshly baked bread, dark, strong coffees being roasted and roaring fires, courtesy of the wood her father chopped, supplying the village with what they needed to cook and keep themselves warm. She was wondering how her father must be doing, until she felt a gentle bonk on her head. Her mother gently bumped her with the roll of posters she had made.  
“There is adhesive in your coat pocket. There is also change if you need a break for a snack. Meet me here once the streetlamps turn on, yes?”  
“Yes, mother!” She nodded, clutching the posters close to her chest. Her heart fluttered happily – she had always loved venturing alone into the village without being by her parents’ side. That being said, it was a little uncomfortable. Many of the villagers knew who she was due to the family business, but she didn’t know them. It made her feel guilty in a way – they all thought highly of her but she hadn’t a clue about their own life and what they did every day. That being said, she would always return their polite smiles. She walked through narrow alleyways, taking in all of the sounds and smells around her. She loved the feeling of the cobblestone under her feet, smiling as she smoothed posters over brick walls, over polished wood, over gritty cement. Her hands were beginning to feel numb from being exposed to the elements, but she didn’t mind. It made her feel warm inside knowing that she was possibly going to find a good crew of people to help her father so he could finally relax for once in his life. As the roll of posters under her arm became thinner, she found herself back to where she started. As she unrolled the few remaining sheets she had left, wondering where to put them, she heard a deep, timid voice behind her.  


“Hello? Holiday?”  
She turned around, greeted by a towering man of great stature like the trees the Holidays grew, perfect for the physical demands of this job. He had a great big beard, large, hefty arms, and a friendly smile. He gave a polite wave.  
“Hello. I own the flower shop in town. However, with a climate like…this…” He gestured vaguely to the icy sidewalks and snow-covered roofs.  
“I’m not doing too well financially, even with proper refrigeration and a greenhouse.”  
His voice, despite being timid, was booming. It made everyone’s ears in town seem to turn towards him. He had an aura that attracted people, like he was a king of a forgotten kingdom in a past life.  
“I suppose, long story short, the offer you’re proposing sounds wonderful.” He gave a big smile, watching Noelle’s intent, listening face blossom into one of great excitement. She clasped her frozen fingers, smiling and nodding.  
“That makes me so happy, um…uh,”  
“Asgore. My name is Asgore.”  
She nodded, smiling.  
“Thank you, Asgore!”  
She was suddenly taken aback at the small crowd that had formed around them, others beginning to agree that business wasn’t too successful in the village, and that they all thought their time would be put to better use elsewhere. Noelle quickly dug into her bulky layers, pulling out a delicate little journal. She warmed up the near frozen pen by putting it under her arm, and once the ink began to run, she got to work writing down everyone’s name, address for letters and additional information, etc. It was an interesting mix of people, and Noelle was so excited to be working alongside them. As she saw her mother returning to the sled, getting the last boxes of rations and goods they needed to set up ready, she felt a pair of eyes behind her. It’s a feeling that isn’t a common one, but you definitely know that it’s happening by the rattling in your heart. Noelle turned around, seeing a woman around her age. Her unkempt hair was tied back with thin rope, her sunken, tired eyes staring down at Noelle. She was wearing clothing not fit for the winter weather – she was wearing a thin shirt with a worn denim jacket over it. She was shaking just a little, but Noelle was shaking more. When Noelle looked into her eyes, her heart began to churn, and Noelle had no idea why. She was instantly enamored with this mysterious person in front of her.  


“Hey. I read the poster. I’m interested.”  
“O-Oh! Yes, of course, just, let me-“ Noelle shuffled with her pen and notebook, scribbling to test the ink. She nodded as this person gave her the address.  
“Oh, I also need your name, if that’s…okay.”  
“Oh. Yeah, it’s Susie.”  
Noelle nodded frantically, scribbling the name in big letters above the address. She smiled a very nervous, toothy smile, glad that she was covered by the layers of wool keeping her warm.  
“Thank you, Susie.”  
The mysterious girl nodded and turned on her heel, her sneakers absolutely drenched from the slush on the streets. Noelle’s heart, which was just beginning to calm down, picked right back up as her mom yelled her name.  
“We need to try our best to make it home before nightfall, dear. Let’s go!”  
“Y-Yes!” Noelle tripped over her feet a little, catching herself and hoisting herself up onto the sled. She held her notebook close to her chest as they began to take off onto the uphill track home. As the sound of jars of jam, bottles of mead and dishware rattled together, there was only one single word repeating itself again and again in Noelle’s head.  


Susie.  
Susie.  
_Susie._


	2. Chapter 2

The night was still as the sled brought the mother-daughter team to their home. Noelle began to help her mother carry the big, heavy boxes of goods indoors. Her body was tired. She ached all over, but for some reason, this anxiety-induced adrenaline was fuelling her. She thought it was silly to be this flustered over a literal stranger, so she kept trying to reason with herself to calm herself down, but she just couldn’t. Her hands shook as she brought all the boxes into the family shed, loading her own smaller hand-pulled sled to bring goods into the lodging quarters.   
“Are you really doing that now, dear?” Her mother asked, pulling the radiant fur-lined hood from her head. Her mother’s hair was still somehow neatly braided, her eyes tired.   
“Um…Yes? May I?”  
Her mother sighed as she hung up her cape on their wooden coat hanger.   
“I suppose. Just bring the oil lamp with you and don’t stay out too late. We don’t know what’s in the forest now, especially now with your father sick in bed.”  
Noelle nodded, watching as her mother walked up the stairs to go to sleep for the night. Noelle began to head off towards the lodges, unpacking everything, putting items like preserves, dried meats, flour, sugar, butter, plates, cutlery into their designated area. She kept going back and forth from her house to the lodge in a trance like state. Next thing she knew, she had unpacked every single thing her mother had purchased, had put it in its rightful place, and as she was dragging her sled back home, she saw the sun rising on the horizon. She smiled bashfully to herself, knowing that she would be coming home to a scolding from her mother over morning coffee. She took slow steps, wanting to savor the time she had before setting foot indoors, her mind beginning to wander now that it wasn’t filled with internal orders of what to do and where to put things. She was excited – excited to write letters to people, excited to feed and lodge and work alongside wonderful people. She kept trying to tell herself that everyone would be wonderful to talk to and spend time with, which is true, but she couldn’t stop thinking about one person in particular.  
“ ** _NOELLE!_** ”  
Noelle yelped as she saw her mother outside, her bathrobe on and her trusted mug of coffee in hand. Noelle sighed quietly to herself. Her daydreams were cut short for now.

 

 

Days had gone by. They were quite busy and hectic for the usually slow winter days. It filled Noelle with a renewed sense of belonging in a way. As she wrote and sealed multiple letters and envelopes, she felt like this goal of hers was becoming more and more attainable each passing day. As her mother gathered the large bag of letters Noelle had written out. She placed her warm hand on Noelle’s head, giving her a loving pat.   
“…You’ve been working a lot harder than your father and I combined, dear.” Her mother smiled to herself.   
“Don’t end up like your father, okay? I admire you and his hard work, but it isn’t worth it if you end up destroying yourself. Rest up. You deserve it.” Her mother smiled as she walked outside, off to deliver the letters into the village. Noelle, despite getting a scolding the morning prior, had stayed up under her bed quilts writing the letters to the villagers. Her mother could tell that this was the case, but didn’t have the heart to scrutinize her again, especially seeing how much happier she was recently due to these new tasks given to her. Noelle felt like she was floating up the stairs to her bedroom, wrapping herself in the wool, the fur and the fleece. She rolled and rolled until the blankets seemed to make a delightful pastry out of her, her eyes shutting almost immediately, catching up on much needed sleep.

 

 

It had been about a week since Noelle’s mother had sent out the letters. This week gave Noelle and her enough time to set up the lodge, and to allow them to spend time with Rudy. Rudy, despite being stubborn, was really happy with how everything was turning out. The chipped wooden tables were sanded and polished. Noelle had reupholstered the furniture in the living quarters. Her mother had darned the rugs back together, leaving large, fresh patches on the old rugs. They had dusted, washed, mopped and sanitized every possible surface they could find. Noelle walked into Rudy’s room he was using in the lodge so she could take a break. She was surprised to see him out of bed, standing by the window. He quickly looked at her, then looked away. She thought she was seeing things, but she could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes.   
“Dad?”   
“Hey sweetie! Just got uh, a, uh-“  
“…Dad.” She leaned her mop against the wall, gently shutting the door. She grabbed a towel, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She felt like she must have smelled horrid with all the things she was doing, but she wrapped her arms lovingly around him anyway. Her assumptions were correct, he was crying. Her heart began to pound. She had only seen him and her mother cry on a few, rare occasions.   
“D-Dad…am I upsetting you? Did this hurt you in the end? I…I’m sorry-“  
“What! No! No, of course not!” He held his daughters’ shoulders, his eyes wide. He leaned down so he could look her in the eyes.   
“Noelle. I’m not sad because of the things you and your mother are doing.” He gently ruffled her hair.   
“I feel bad that I’m being a useless muck in this room.” He smiled sadly, sighing.   
“I’m… extremely proud of you, Noelle. You definitely have your mothers’ genes. You’re a natural leader and I am forever amazed at all the things you do.” He smiled as he looked into her eyes, hugging her tightly. She hugged him back, feeling as if she could start crying too.   
“…Noelle. I’m sorry that I’m not getting any younger. I’m sorry that I can’t swing you around and carry you on my shoulders. I-“  
“D-Dad, stop-“ She covered her face, feeling hot tears run down her cheeks.   
“I-I don’t need you to do all of that for me. You’re a wonderful dad, regardless of the things you can do physically. I love you, and I will always love you. I just want you to be healthy. Healthy and happy.”  
“Well…. I can assure you that I am definitely happy, my dear. I am happy that this is all beginning to settle into place.”   
He really couldn’t find the words to explain to Noelle how grateful he was that she was working so hard with his wife to renew the life in this long forgotten edge of the world. He looked her deep in the eyes, gently wiping her tears with his thumbs. He gently put his hands under her arms, lifting her and spinning her. She could tell he was struggling a bit, but she was too filled with glee to notice. She began laughing, holding her arms out like she did when she was a child. He set her down, rubbing his back.   
“You’re not my little one anymore, huh?”  
She puffed her chest out, smiling a snarky little smile.   
“No! You better be careful. One day, these muscles will surpass yours!”   
She didn’t have much to compete with – Rudy’s arms were these scrawny little things that always shocked anyone with the amount of wood he could carry with them. As he would always say – never underestimate a Holiday.

 

There was a polite knock on the door, Noelle’s mum entering the room. She smiled a devious smile.   
“And what do you think you’re doing out of bed?” She put her hands on her hips, smiling at Rudy. Rudy hid behind Noelle despite his tall stature, Noelle looking unimpressed at their antics. The family all shared a laugh, Noelle’s mother undoing her handkerchief, wiping the sweat from her face.   
“I’ve just come to say we should all wash up. We chose a good day to clean this place up. I’ve heard news that many citizens will be arriving today.”  
“Today!” Noelle chimed, putting her hands on her cheeks. She was so excited – she remembered Asgore. She couldn’t wait to see how well he would be at chopping and carrying – he was practically born for this! As for other names she remembered, she thought Undyne would be really a good, hard, diligent worker with the confidence she had from their short interaction. She thought that the two brothers, Sans and Papyrus, would be two good souls to have at the lodge. Noelle got a sense that Papyrus would get distracted easily and that Sans wouldn’t be the hardest of workers, but they seemed really pleasant folks to have around. As her mind raced through all of the people she had written to, her heart seemed to ache.

 

 _Susie.  
Susie._ __  
Susie.

 

“Noelle?” Rudy asked, setting a hand on her head. “Are you okay? You seem lost in thought.”  
“Oh! Nothing! I’m fine, just…excited!”   
Noelle’s mother was gathering the soup bowls from Rudy’s room, Rudy gathering his bedding.   
“Don’t you want to rest up?” Noelle’s mother raised an eyebrow, watching her husband beginning to tidy around.   
“I’ve been resting up the past two weeks. I won’t push myself like I did last time, but I think this room deserves to be given to someone else other than a Holiday.”   
His wife shrugged, smiling to herself.   
“Suit yourself.”   
Noelle and her mother walked the icy path back to their house, the smell of bleach, sweat, furniture polish and woodfire radiating off of them. Noelle was looking forward to a nice hot bath, mentally planning what she would wear to welcome their first guests. Should she braid her hair? Should she add a ribbon in the braids? Would Susie like that?  
She bit the inside of her cheeks. Why would she think something like that?


	3. Chapter 3

It was Noelle’s turn to get into the tub. The smell of cedar and pine filled her nose as she let her whole body sink into the warm sudsy water. She smiled as she felt her hair swirl around in the water, quickly coming up for air, shaking her head to fling the water from the golden strands. Getting the house and the lodge together reminded her of a lot of things from her childhood. She remembered the sauna at the lodging quarters.   
They hadn’t used it in years, but since she had cleaned it and fixed a few of the problems she found, it would be able to work again. The mineral smell of sauna stones and earthy cedar filled her head with memories of running in that steaming hot room as a kid. It would be a treat from helping her father work in the cold all day. It warmed her heart knowing that others would be able to potentially use it. She also thought about the beautiful porch they had on top of the lodging quarters, perfect for a hot morning coffee. The view was beautiful, she felt a little guilty not going there more. The creepy, run down lodge was now fit for company, and she couldn’t have been more grateful for her family running with her idea and supporting her.   
She felt loved, she felt appreciated. As she got out of the bath, she could smell the inviting smell of sweet almond paste and bread. Her mother must be baking visiting cake to welcome the guests with. It put a smile on her face as she dried off, feeling a little rushed as she heard the distant sound of a sleigh pummeling through snow and ice. She braided her hair into one long braid, putting on her favourite cashmere dress with wool tights underneath. Some stray hairs were sticking to her forehead. She was a little anxious meeting the folks that would be staying with them, but was even more anxious of the impression she would give them. 

“Noelle?”  
Her mother called from the kitchen downstairs.   
“Yes! Coming!”   
She didn’t have time to worry or fuss, managing to whip on a coat of mascara before running down the flight of stairs. Her mother greeted her at the bottom, smiling at her.   
“You look nice, dear. Are you excited?”  
“Very!”

Her mother gently rubbed her head as they heard shuffling outside. A gentle yet firm knock announced visitors. The two of them opened the door, greeting the warm smile that towered above them.   
“Oh! Asgore!” Noelle smiled, remembering his name from the letter and his remarkable frame.   
“It’s good to see you again!” Noelle gently shook his hand, seeing movement behind him.   
“It’s good to see you two as well. I hope you don’t mind; a couple villagers and I were quick to pack and move here to help. This family has always provided us warmth on the coldest of nights. We were all a little shocked to hear the Holidays have been running on next to no one for so long.”   
“Yeah,” A short, stout man appeared next to him. “Couldn’t have said it better myself, really.”   
Noelle remembered Sans, with his relaxed attitude and deep voice. That must mean that the tall, lanky boy behind him struggling with a backpack much too large for his small frame was Papyrus.   
“Oh! You don’t have to worry about your bags, dear. Noelle and I can handle that.”   
Noelle’s mother was watching Papyrus’ back bending to accommodate the heavy weight of the bag on his shoulders.  
“Oh, that is perfectly alright! I have to start preparing myself for the REAL world!” Papyrus looked up at the large trees around him, suddenly feeling extremely small in this “real” world he so mentioned.   
“Suit yourself.” 

Noelle’s mother invited the three of them inside, offering them slices of cake with piping hot black tea. The three guests sat at the table, Noelle’s mother pulling out multiple manila coloured folders. They all contained paperwork, more in-depth than what their mailing address forms were. The paperwork was lengthy, Noelle not knowing what to do with herself as she watched her mother flawlessly interview and fill out the forms at lightning speeds. As Noelle began to feel a little awkward, she heard more shuffling outside, more knocking. She opened the door, surprised to see that even more people had arrived. Noelle jumped right into action, serving the warm cake and hot tea, getting everyone seated and warm as they waited for Noelle’s mother’s paperwork and to be given a room and key. Noelle remembered a few familiar characters that stuck out to her, but she was embarrassed to admit to herself that she was a little sad that Susie hadn’t shown up yet. As the first few people were given their keys and room numbers, Noelle’s mother put her in charge of using their sleigh to drive the visitors to the lodge and help them unpack and unwind. Since Asgore, Papyrus and Sans were the first people to wrap up their paperwork, she drove them over to their new home. She was surprised at how light Asgore and Sans had packed for moving away. She also felt a little awkward at the fact that the two knew so much about her family, and she knew so little about them. When the sleigh came to a slow stop to the lodge, she went to help them with their bags, Asgore holding out a hand to her.   
“It’s fine. You’ve done so much already, getting all of this set up. Please, let us at least handle our own luggage.”  
She smiled and nodded, holding the door open for the three of them. As she went to walk behind them, she heard a massive thud, Asgore’s luggage hitting the wooden ground.   
“Woah, hey man, are you alright?” Sans asked, looking up at Asgore, who stood frozen, mouth agape. 

“Rudy?”

Rudy turned around on the leather couch he was seated on, his eyes widening, practically jumping over the couch, scrambling to jump into the larger man’s arms. Asgore swung him around, the two laughing wildly as they embraced.   
“I never…never realized you were a Holiday, Rudy!” Asgore smiled sheepishly, looking just a little ashamed.  
“Oh, you know it. Married into the family, took my wife’s name in marriage.”  
Noelle looked at the two, a little confused. Rudy slammed his hand onto Asgore’s chest, smiling at Noelle.  
“Sweetheart, this mountain of a man was in the same school as I was back in the day! We were dorm mates. What was it for again? Horticulture? Agriculture? Eh, doesn’t matter, anyway. That was ages ago.”  
He boasted, laughing, coughing wildly into his elbow, his eyes donning heavy bags under them.   
“I’m…going to go sit down.”   
“Mind if I join you?”   
Asgore chimed, picking his luggage back up. The two men carried on a cheerful conversation, Noelle a little blown away at how well her father knew people and how little she knew about the people in her parent’s life. She turned to the two brothers, smiling a little awkwardly. 

“I…I’ll show you two to your rooms, then.”   
She brought them to the first rooms in the hall, and once she concluded they were set to unpack and make themselves comfortable, she hurried to leave the lodge. She stopped to look over at the couch, seeing her father smile and laugh. It looked like he had gained something he had lost – there really was something special about catching up with an old friend, especially if you weren’t expecting to see them, let alone have them move in. She smiled to herself, her heart buzzing with warmth and happiness for him. She hurried onto her sleigh to help others get between the house and lodge, the lodge quickly filling up with more and more people making it much more lived in – it really felt like one big family in a way. It put Noelle at ease that many folks knew one another from the village – Undyne and Papyrus had decided to cook everyone up a snack to celebrate their first night at the lodge. From Noelle’s perspective, what they were making looked less and less like food and more and more like nuclear waste. They looked like they were enjoying themselves however, so she didn’t have the heart to stop them. Noelle sat on the arm of the couch Rudy was seated on, smiling as he looked up at her.   
“Hey, sweetheart! Asgore was just catching me up on everything in the village. He says he hasn’t seen the miner’s daughter. The mine had collapsed years back and left her with no family, couch hopping from house to house.”  
Asgore nodded as Rudy explained, picking up where he left off.   
“I could have sworn I saw her sign up. I could be wrong though. She’s a really strong girl. She stayed at my house for a long time. She’s a girl of few words, but what she lacks in words she makes up for in strength and resilience, really.”   
“O-Oh gosh, that’s terrible to hear though…” Noelle looked at her hands in her lap. She was picking at her nails, a nervous tick she hadn’t grown out of.   
“Wh…What’s her name if I may ask? I remember a lot of the names I wrote!”   
Asgore nodded.   
“Her name is Susie.”

Noelle must have looked like a deer in headlights from the reactions she got from Asgore and Rudy.   
“Woah there! You alright, Noelle?” Rudy laughed, pulling his daughter close.   
“You’ve lost all the colour in your face! Do you know her or something? Have you been sneaking out?”  
Noelle laughed nervously, shaking her head.   
“N-No…No. Sh…She did sign up though. I…I haven’t seen her either.”   
Asgore rubbed the back of his head.   
“I should have offered her a ride. I completely forgot, I was so focused on getting out of there…I hope she gets here safe and sound.”  
He bit his lip, looking away from the father and daughter.   
“There’s been a story, a rumour of sorts spreading in the village…”   
“Oh? Yeah?” Rudy questioned, letting his daughter sit back on the arm of the couch. Asgore’s voice once again began to subconsciously draw a crowd in the lodge living room, his deep, calm voice perfect for narrating. 

“Yes. I don’t know who or where this originated from, but I can guarantee you that every household in the village knows of this story. It is believed that if you are outside past midnight, when the snow is still and every candle has melted indoors, you can hear this horrid cry. This wail sends chills down every bone in your body, paralyzing you in fear. You cannot move and you freeze over, leaving no trace of yourself as you blow away with the wind.”   
Noelle was hugging her dads’ arm. Despite being older, she still hated tales like this.

“It’s in a way…strange. I’ve heard that this noise only happens when Susie isn’t in town. If no one sees her, even just for a second, all candles are lit and all doors are locked. I don’t think she even knows this, but the villagers have in a way made her an omen of safety.”  
Sans had joined them, sitting across from them in a big padded lazy boy chair. He nodded.   
“Yeah. My bro said that he’s heard it from his bedroom window. He always tries to hunt Susie down so the village can be safe. He does have quite the imagination though, so who knows.”   
Someone with blonde hair and long, bright pink nails chimed in.   
“No, no! I ALWAYS have candles lit in my home, and I can definitely vouch that I have heard this wailing! It’s god AWFUL! It sounds like this…this THING just walks up and down the streets at night, crying, crying, crying…” 

Many people joined in, Noelle squeezing her dads arm tighter. She leaned up, cupping her hands to his ear, whispering loud enough so only he could hear her.   
“I’m going to go home to see if mom needs anything else. Okay?”  
He smiled and nodded, patting her back.   
“Love you, dear.”  
“Love you too, dad.”   
She hopped up and snuck out of the small crowd, grabbing her sleigh. Now that the sun was setting, her heart raced and her stomach churned. She didn’t like scary stories, they always stuck with her and made her irrationally scared of everything around her. As she heard the wind blow in her ears as she sleighed down hill, it sounded more and more eerily like wails and screams. She didn’t realize her hands were trembling. There had to be an explanation, and maybe it was just a strange being that plagued the village. Maybe they were all safe now that they were away from there. She let those thoughts escape her as she walked through the doors of her home, her mom putting the final files away into a cabinet.   
“Ah! Hello, dear. You didn’t want to stay and chat with everyone in the lodge?”   
Noelle smiled sheepishly, shaking her head.   
“They’re all extremely lovely, honest to goodness mom. They were just talking about things that went on in the village that…”  
“That scared you?”  
Noelle nodded, chewing on her bottom lip. Her mother chuckled quietly to herself, shaking her head.   
“I still remember the days where your father had to carry you from place to place because you believed the monsters under your bed would steal your legs.”   
“M-Mom!”  
Noelle huffed, crossing her arms. Her mom’s rare yet booming laugh filled their house, bringing a smile to Noelle’s face. Even though she was laughing at her, her mother’s laugh had always been contagious.   
“Ah…yes, well. I suppose it would be the polite thing to go and make the guests welcome.”  
There were bags of vegetables behind her mother, ready to be chopped and made into a stew. There were bottles of alcohol to thank and welcome those of drinking age, as well as lovingly wrapped loaves of sweet breads for those who don’t drink.   
“Would you like to come with me, Noelle?”  
Noelle shook her head politely.   
“I-I’m sorry. I’m quite sleepy. If you need help though, I don’t mind.”  
“No, no.” Her mother lifted large bags of potatoes and leeks over her shoulder.   
“…You’ve done a lot for us, Noelle. Thank you. Go rest, okay?”   
Noelle smiled. She gave her mother a polite bow as she heard her leave the house. Noelle scurried upstairs to get into her pajamas and catch up on some much-needed sleep.


End file.
